Improvement in bee-hives



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@aient (fettine VOhNEY LEONARD, OF SPRINGFIELD,PENNSYLVANIA,

Letters Patent No. 106,377, dated August 16, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern.:

Figure 3, which is a vertical section at right angles to iig. 2, and taken as 'denoted bythe line y'y in figs. l and 2 f Figure et `is an end View, on a large scale, of certain independent sections (in part) used in construct-ing the combi'ame;

Figure 5 is an outside view, and

Figure 6, a transverse section o f oneform'of honeybox used in the hive; I l

Figure 7, a face view of another form of' b/ox suitable for the Wintering of queens; and

Figure 8, an under or face view of .a worm-trap used in connection with the hive.

Similar letters of reference indicatel corresponding parts.

In the bee-hive `which is the subjectof' this invention, Athe comb-frame is preferably made up of a seriesrof loose independent Iframes, with holes in their ends, for entry ot' the bees, so shaped and arranged thatsaid independent frames or frame-sections may be promiscuously placed, in putting them together, to make up the entire frame, that, in being composed' of independent sections, facilitates the extraction of the honey. Likewise, the lighting-hoard is made movable by hinging it to-a ledge-section that is in hooked attachment with the remainder oi the ledge, and said lighting-board heldextended by pivoted arms, that, when the lighting-board is shut down, serve as doors to close the entrances to the comb-frame. This portion resembles that shown, and described in my patent granted J une 4, 1867, except as regards the detachable ledge-section to which the lighting-board is hinged.

The honey-boxes are loose and inclosed also held in` place by movable sides to the hive, Vwhich are in hooked connection with the outside ledge.

-To enable others skilled in suchl matters to make and use the invention, I will now proceed to describe it with reference tothe accompanying drawing.

A is the base-board of the hive,l and B, the comb-flame that is arranged' loosely thereon.

rlhi's frame may be made whole, or in one piece, but

it ii preferred to construct it of independent frames or frame-sections, BB, arranged to lie parallel to each other, and lengthwise of thehivc, with theirend strips, a a., in contact,lleavingsuitable outlets, b, I), for the bees, between theirupper. horizontal stringers, cc, and the front end stripsa, which are provided, on either side, near their tops, with semicircular openings, d d, thatj'form entrancesior the bees in continuation of the outside holes, e e, in the ledge-section C ofthe hive vover the .lighting-board D. The several fran1esec tions B'Aare -of similar construction, so that, in put- 'tingI them together, they may be promiscuously placed with the semicircular apertures el d of each pair-1alwaysin position to form continuations of the openings e e. Thus, making the comb-frame in sections facilitates taking out of the honey without injury to the bees.

Said loose comb-frame or lframe-sections and the honey-boxes E, on opposite sides of the same, are held# in place, and said boxes inclosed by loose box-like sides, F F,- meeting at the back of the hive, where they maybe secured bya hook or other fastening, and

meeting the comb-frame in front, where they are secured by'hooks, f f, arranged to catch into staples on .I

the ledge-section C of the general ledge 0'..

The ledge-section G is made detachable, tofacilitate l access to the frame-sections, or sliding out of the lat-v ter, and has hinged to it the lighting-'board D, which, when extended, is held by notched arms, G G, pivoted to the ledge-section (l These arms may he swung to one side, to .allow the lighting-board to drop, and afterwards be turned np into a horizontal position, to form doors for closing the entry-apertures, c e, in. the ledgen section.

H is the cap oi' the hive, said cap fitting onto the top of the sides F F, and inclosing upper tiers of honey-boxes, I I, arranged over the comb-frame.

Holes, g, are-'made at the bottom of the comb-frame or end strips comprising the same in front, for entry of the bees, and for worms to pass ontof thehiveinto internally-groovedpor ribbed traps, J J, arranged to lie at the base of the comb-frame in iiont of it, and provided with openings or spaces, h, for passage oi' the worms into grooves in the trap or traps that are loose, to facilitate being cleaned or emptied.y

' The honey-boxes may be variously constructed. T hns, they may be made wholly. oi' glass, in wooden frames, or with certain of .their sides otwood and others ol' glass, the lower orside tiers of boxes E having openings in front, of which there may be two, 'i t, one above and one below, communicating-with the interior' of the comb-frame, while the upper tiers of boxes I have openings, jj, in their bottoms, commuones thereof. A convenient style of structure is shown in figs. 5 and 6, iu which the box E, made wholly of glasswith wooden frame, has one of-its angle-pieces removed, as at k, to establish the necessary opening for lche bees when working, which opening may be closed, when required to use the box for transportation and sale with lche vhoney in it, by simply closing said opening with au angle-piece to it 0r, again, the boxes may, if desired, be made with the holes iu their bottoms, and rest on suitable strips to secure passage for the bees. v

l", in figs. 2 and 7, represents a. box suitable for the wintering of queens, the same being made with a wiregauze face, l, arranged to front the one open side of the comb-frame B, which construction provides for passage of Warmth from the swarm'.

What is here claimed, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The comb-frame B, made up of loose parallel frame-sections B', provided with holes, el d,in their sides, at or near their tops, and holes, g, at their bottoms, as specified.

2. The detachable ledge-section 4C, carryingr the hinged lighting-board D and the' pivoted arms G, arranged for operation essentially as described.

3. 'lhe combination of the movable sides F .with the honey-boxes E and comb-framev B, substantially as specified. Y

AV. LEONARD.

Witnesses:

J. L. PHILLIPS, 0.l P. BARKNEss, J. K. PHILLIPS. 

